Plan: Place

Place for Meditating and Praying Scripture
 Mk 1:35 Now in the morning, having risen long before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place ; and there He prayed.

Jesus, who has no spiritual peer, had to leave the clang of the camp for spiritual refueling. We can infer that during these prayer times He heard what the Father was saying and saw what the Father was doing.

Jn 5:19 ….the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do, for whatever He does, the Son does in like manner.

The prevailing belief is that Jesus received His assignments and power of focus for the supernatural in these times of solitary prayer.

If this is what worked for Jesus, wouldn’t we be remiss to try it any other way? Few of us would need to be convinced that this is a plan to implement. But, many of us would be hard-pressed to find a solitary place.



Definition of a Solitary Place
What is a solitary place? Webster’s New World Dictionary defines it:
….. Solitary : along, without others, lonely, remote, unfrequented
….. Solitude : seclusion, isolation, or remoteness
….. Seclusion : suggests retirement from intercourse with the outside world

So a solitary place is a location, or a state of being, where we intentionally disconnect from people and the distractions of life: people, phone, TV, radio, internet, etc.



Where Do I Find A Solitary Place?
The absolutely best solitary location is someplace outdoors. Jesus apparently knew that. The accelerated learning gurus and the neuroscience practitioners know that, too. They are all extolling the benefits of a nature environment on learning. A walk on the beach, a stroll in the woods with some safe place to sit and reflect : the dreamy ideal!

Few of us live there. I hit the back deck in the morning, the front deck in the evening (staying out of the sun). Usually this is quiet and uninterrupted. The view of our lovely hills is refreshing and I’m reminded to bless this land before I leave my place of prayer.

A number of friends have prayer closets in their yards…little spaces tucked in here or there. One of my friends is out on her patio before dawn, reading by lamplight and warmed with a small portable fireplace in the winter.



Even When Circumstances Are Not Ideal
All of these scenes fall into the ideal category. But, even in the not so ideal setting, there is always a way.

John Wesley’s mother, Susannah, would sit in her rocker and pull her apron over her face. That was her prayer closet. Her ten children knew not to disturb her. (She gave birth to 19 children in 19 years, 9 of whom died as infants) Looking at how her sons, John and Charles Wesley have affected Christendom to this day, it appears that her make-shift prayer chamber didn’t hinder the power of her prayers.

I observed one woman with 11 children who would rise early and sit in her parked car for an hour. It looked pretty crazy to the neighbors, but she wasn’t out to impress the neighbors. I’m sure that contacting God early in the day was a necessary part of her raising those eleven f young ones into the fine adults they are today.

If weather or other circumstances don’t permit prayer out of doors, go into a room and shut the door behind you. Let everyone know that you need x number of minutes totally undisturbed. Like the Wesley children, your family will adjust. If your surroundings are noisy, use soothing music to override the noise. Wear earphones, play soft music and put a sheet over year head if you have to. It worked for Susannah Wesley. It still works!

The headphone idea is good for traveling on public transportation.
• Put on the headphones,
• start the music, close your eyes
• and you’re off to a solitary place.
It could be necessary for you to carry and use a small timer so you don’t miss your stop :)



Claim Your Space For Prayer
Once you have a designated prayer spot, use it regularly. Your subconscious will resonate with the place and cooperate in bringing you quickly and deeply into a place of prayer. Your prayer place will also become blessed, absorbing anointing from your times of prayer.

Once when I was visiting with a friend in her home, I sat in an inviting-looking chair. I sank in comfortably and then felt a wonderful surge of energy pulse through me. "The power of God is on your chair! " "Oh", she said, "that’s where I pray every morning. "
• Carve out your getaway, your solitary place for prayer.
• Spend scheduled time in your solitary place. Pray!
• And, it too, will become awash with the power of God .

As I am editing this page, I have to say "Amen!" as to claiming your space for prayer. I've gone so far as to bundle up with hat and boots to stay in my prayer area this winter. The time and space is so productive, I go to great lengths to guard it. I encourage you to do the same.


Suggested Music for the solitary place
Flights of Fancy performed by the Northstar Orchestra Utopia by Theresa Griffith Mystic Harp 2 by Derek Bell and Donald Walters